Manchin, Raese duel over Obama

West Virginia Gov. Joe Manchin and Republican John Raese had their only meeting Monday evening, in a debate in which the two Senate candidates sparred over the president, his most controversial legislation and the state's dominant coal industry.

With a national spotlight shining on the once-sleepy Senate race, Manchin and Raese tried to capitalize on their last opportunity to speak directly to voters, two weeks before Election Day. Public polls show a competitive race, and both political parties have zeroed in on the contest, pouring millions into the race.

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A relaxed Raese frequently attacked Manchin, who often brought up his six years as governor when making his case that voters should send him to Washington to serve the remaining two years of the late Sen. Robert Byrd's term.

Manchin invoked Byrd twice during the debate in Morgantown, W. Va., recalling that the state's political legend would occasionally buck his party for the sake of his home state because he "didn't care who the president was."

A pair of third-party candidates rounded out the debate, for a total of four men being grilled in the West Virginia public broadcast studios, but another politician took center stage for most of the evening: President Barack Obama. In keeping with his strategy to tie Manchin to the unpopular president, Raese repeatedly brought up Obama throughout the hourlong session.

Manchin has tried to distance himself from Obama during the campaign, most notably during his latest television commercial, in which he fires a gun at the Democratic-sponsored cap-and-trade bill. Monday evening's meeting was no exception to the Obama dodging.

"I hate to inform my opponent, but Mr. Obama's name will not be on the ballot for the U.S. Senate in West Virginia. It will be me," said Manchin. "And my record has been very clear, and I've worked very hard."

Raese shot back: "That certainly sounds like a career politician to me."

At the crux of the Obama-centered debate was health care reform. Manchin initially supported the legislation and said publicly earlier this year that he would have voted for it. But more recently, Manchin has criticized the bill, and he announced in his latest television commercial that he would work to repeal parts of it. Pressed by the moderator, Manchin said he favored getting rid of the "onerous" small-business provisions and the mandates for coverage in the legislation.

Raese, for his part, said he would scrap the entire bill.

"I'd like to repeal every part of that because it is pure, unadulterated socialism," said Raese. "It is the worst bill that has ever come out of the United States Senate and House."